Answers -Carolyn Chang
If you're having the mastectomy done at the same time as the reconstruction, then you have to use an implant that can be inflated, thereby expanding the skin. In our practice, we like to use what we call an adjustable implant, which is made of saline with a silicone shell. The alternative is that you can use a half-and-half saline and silicone implant where the silicone is on the outside and the saline is on the inside. There are two chambers so you can fill the inner chamber with saline but the outside is silicone. Both of these implants are safe to use, and it really depends upon your anatomy and your personal preference as to which one would be better for you. The bottom line is that you need some type of implant, initially, that can be filled in order to have the best reconstruction possible. Please ask your plastic surgeon as to what they would recommend for you and why.

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